Small military plane crashes in empty field near San Antonio

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SAN ANTONIO — Police said a small military plane crashed Tuesday afternoon near the Rolling Oaks Mall.

Officials said the two people inside the aircraft ejected and parachuted to safety.

Judson ISD Media Relations Director Steve Linscomb said the plane crashed between Rolling Meadows Elementary and Veterans High School. People reported hearing a "big boom," but no one saw the crash.

Police said the T-6 Texan II military aircraft crashed into an empty field. The plane, a part of the 12th Training Wing, belongs to the Joint Base San Antonio Randolph Base (JBSA). Fire officials said the plane went down because of "engine failure."

The Air Force grounded all of its T-6 training aircraft in February for a month because the oxygen levels in the cockpit were low. People suffered shortness of breath and other effects of hypoxia while piloting the aircraft.

The Air Education and Training Command based at JBSA announced last week plans to re-design the plane's entire oxygen system, controls for pilots in flight and ramping up maintenance and training. The upgrades will take 2-4 years to implement.